A survey investigated the attitudes of Japanese university students and their non-Japanese university teachers toward testing and the use of textbooks in their English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classroom. Subjects were 120 students and 13 native English-speaking instructors at 3 Japanese universities. Results reveal a gap in attitudes between the…

The 1978 Children's English and Services Study (United States) contains five findings for limited English proficient children aged 5-14, e.g., one-third are served by bilingual education/English (second language); Federal and state support for special types of instruction are received predominantly by limited English proficient children within the…

Examines the validity of the cultural bias contention with respect to English aptitude tests by looking at test scores of Jewish and Arab students applying for admission to a college in Israel. Results show evidence for differential construct or predictive validity of test scores as a function of cultural group membership. (31 references)…

This article reviews previous studies of the effects of implicit and explicit corrective feedback on SLA, pointing out a number of methodological problems. It then reports on a new study of the effects of these two types of corrective feedback on the acquisition of past tense -ed. In an experimental design (two experimental groups and a control…

The collection of 12 essays brings together work by linguists around the world concerning the use of computers in applied linguistics, including computer-assisted language learning (CALL). Articles include: "Humanism and CALL: A Coming of Age" (Vance Stevens); "A Methodological Framework for CALL Courseware Development" (Philip Hubbard);…

Ten essays address aspects of second language instruction at the elementary school level: "Elementary School Foreign Languages: Perspectives, Practices, and Promises" (Carol Ann Pesola, Helena Anderson Curtain); "The Integrated Curriculum: Rethinking the Elementary School Foreign Language Program for the '90s" (Virginia…

A study of over 3,000 British college and university students investigated the relationship of student language proficiency and student demographic and background characteristics. Proficiency levels were assessed by means of C-Tests, while associated questionnaires sought to explore biographical data, language learning background, residence…

The manual provides information to assist elementary school level program and curriculum designers in the creation and administration of second language programs. It is not a how-to manual, but includes descriptive data about program types in existence and criteria for evaluating language proficiency. It contains: a list of terms used and their…

In this collection of essays, a group of innovative teachers and writers describe the approaches and techniques they have incorporated into their own language teaching. The articles are designed to help classroom teachers make language classes more participatory and communication oriented. The book is divided into three sections: (1) What Is…

A study investigated current and potential uses of the "Primary Language Record" (PLR), an assessment instrument for evaluating and supporting the development of students, particularly in literacy-related areas. The PLR uses focused interviews with students and families, systematically recorded teacher observations, and rating scales of…

Eight papers from a conference on language teaching are presented in this publication. The conference brought together some 500 foreign language educators, and the papers contained in this volume were selected as representative of the variety of topics addressed at the conference and because they challenge readers to expand their frames of…

The guide is one section of a resource kit designed to assist Peace Corps language instruction coordinators in countries around the world in understanding the principles underlying second language learning and teaching and in organizing instructional programs. This section addresses assessment issues. An introductory chapter gives an overview of…

To comply with the new U.S. Department of Education Ability-To-Benefit policy, schools need to select tests on the Secretary's approved list. The pertinent aspects of 22 approved tests are individually summarized. The test reviews are based on examinations of the test publishers' technical documentation and the tests. Information provided in the…

The test manual for the Secondary Level English Proficiency (SLEP) test has been prepared for teachers, counselors, and others responsible for interpreting SLEP test scores. The SLEP is designed to assess the proficiency in English of students entering grades 7 through 12 whose native language is not English. As a test of understanding written and…

The proficiency-based German program in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University occupies an essential and integral but not central role in the overall foreign service program. It includes three years' instruction, in addition to the two years required for admission. Three levels are offered, and although students may take the…